Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-03-18
With STOLEN MONRY.
4 New York Merchant Dis
appears With . Guam
tity Of Wealth.
The Losses Involved Aggregate
q Million Dollars.
Secretary Lamar Reverses q
Decision In q King
County Case.
AUpespFlatea ssseks-Maekay Denles
she Report-cswmassaenea BY the
Presiaens-Ranie nf CAureA-
The Bridge had heea Tested
Kseapea fFe@ . Fire.


\
seIned hhs Place af Rualneas.
NEw YoRx, March l7.-Sheriff Grant
has seized the place of business Of Wal.
ter q. Lawton, 81 Broadway, who aid
basine8s under The drm.name Of Law
t0a Bros, as FERTILIZERS, under attach
ments from Jadoe Dcnohoe of the
Supreme Court, on creditors' claims
amounting 70 S2l5 600. II is charged
that LaWt0n has absconded to defraud
his creditors; that be has disposed Of
his property and taken Q large amouns
Of money With him- LaWton was Q
Director In the Delta Ax0sin Company
and was entrusted with 500, 900 in notes
10 discount for the company.
On March 18th Lawton is said 10 have
absconded With the proceeds of the dis
soanteo notes. The oisappeaFsnos of
LaVton has created 9 great deal OF ap-
prehenaion, and u is generally believed
that be h bankrupt He left the ofioo
Tuesday afternoon as usual to 70 TO his
hone on the Hudson and has not been
seen since. Three attachments were
obtained against him today. The
amount OF his liabilities are estimated
At x1.000,o00. LAwton is o widower and
she sole representative Cf the hrm, bis
brother who was associated with hira
having died sometime AGO.
Rufus T. Kirkland, Lswton's cashier.
states that on Tuesday Lawton with
drew all bis funds from the different
banks In which hs Deposited and took
the money with him. LaWton before
bic departure destroyed all stab checks
and papers Of any kind from which any
Information could be secured az 10 the
deposition OF The funds and property.
Joseph d. Jones placed in Lawton's
care on Tuesday. on behalf of the com-
papy, $4,000. This also was gone.
Kirkland states that on Tuesday he had
an interview with Lsvtsn at Broadway
and Wall street, and that Lavtou re-
qaested him TO 90 uiih him to the Of
ficers Of the Third National Bank and |
introduce him. This be did. Lawton |
also asked him to obtain blank war |
rsnty deed for the conveyance Of real |
estate In New Jersey and to meet him |
in New York. He met Lawton there |
With the blank deed and both went 10 |
the Grand Central depot.
Lawton told Kirkland that he In
tended to leave by the train; that be /
had drawn all the money be had on de
posit; that be was ruined; that be didn't
know what TO do, and that be voold
ther said that be had exhausted all his
resources and was unable to pay ont
any money In his possession. He left
Kirkland to take train.
A second attachHent was issued at
the instance Of the Chemical and Oil
Company upon a similar claim. The
company had delivered to Laxton
pronissory notes to the value of $780,
600, In trust, to discount the notes and
hold the proceeds for the company's
benefit. In addition be received $500
In money. He discounted the notes,
kept the proceeds. and also retained the
money and converted il 20 his own use.
The third claim is one of $4,000 for
professional services by Robert A. Van
Wyck, rendered 10 Lawton.
A number OF banks we're reported 10
be heavy lOsera through the negotiation
ct LAWtonis paper, among them the
First and Third National Banks, the
Bank Of the Republic, and the Chemical
National Bank. The President Of the
First National Bank denied that the
bank had handled any of Lawton's pa.
per. The American Exchange National
Bank, which was reported TO be heavy
loser, woala not affirm or deny the re-
ort. The President Of the Third Ma
tional Bank says that his institution
held bat Q small amount, which 10 Sc
cured BY good eudorssrs. Just before
leaving the city LaWton drew from the
Third National Bank, on checks, SI3,-
600.
Abraham king said this afternoon:
81 have fled attashments IN the ofRcs
Of the County Clerk for the companies
OF which am attorney, against Lawton
claims aaRregatlnR more than e4O0, 900.
The property which ] have attached
amounts 10 about as much. l don't
know where LaSton has gone TO. bat I
Wish did"
do you think be hss gone to Gan
ada?" was asked Ar. King.
II d0nJ knew that We could bring
him back II be did 90 there. He has
taken away about 100000, which be
raised on notes Of the companies fer
watch am acting. The associates OF
Lawton look upon bis disappearance as
. part Of q gigantic swindiinR opera
ton
The boskkseper Of The firm IL report
ed 70 have lost all be had in the world.
One msa Who 10 q heavy loser said that
LaGton bad ovsRdravu al his accounts
and got all the money on bis paper that
be could, sold his hoase, converted all
bis property int eass and lsft for Eas
land yesterday on bis way to his brOIh.
er, who hves an Sussex. The amount
involved BY bis operations 70 placed by
everybody ~ over 81 10000.
Lavton negotiated his paper thFoaeh
the neted brokerage 6rm Of Tins,
Mead 4 Co, Of 81 Wall street. Who have
out not lees than $1,000 Of Lswton,s
endorsements Mead said Lavton was
81 his once on Tuesday afternoon. he
took some of his paper With him and /
pnoposed 10 sesd Mead check for SO,
COO on "Wednesday morning. The check
did not ooues and enquiries for Bawton /
developed The fast that be vas missing
Mad said the total Of LawtOn's defGI-
cations or liabilities might reach $500,
600. aAd the cashier Of tie Thfnd Ne
taoaAl bank said % was between $780,
00o and $4,000.
At the bank it vas said that Lavton |
bad raised money wherever be could /
and gone OF. An attorney estimated /
that Lawton COS 81 least 500 600 cash /
from banks and on discsanted pspsr 90 |
the day Of hrs departure. He took /
TIE money away with him. He 10
said 90 have q good part % tbe pro /
eeeds Of the claims. of which Mr. King |
represents about $50 900. IL u kDoun |
that be has obtained - least ez50Oo0 /
on notes from The vaEioos banks. No
bOdy oould give any intelligent state |
msnt OF LAWtoo's eonaltisn - q whole. /
No examination has - yes been made /
Of his assets, II there Be any. and |
thoaRh attAohments have been served |
90 everything visible. tneiodsrR New l
Jersey real estate and she SDayten |
Dayvel residence, II he COMMONLY be- /
fisved shat he has transferred bis inter |
60 IN eli sooh property. his liabilities |
% far - known, th0ogh not collected |
IN anv statement. are estimated a. about /
O.. coo coo. rather les thaa more
seeresaST Lamar sa . Alag Ceanty